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Every word Mikel Arteta said on Gabriel injury, Timber fitness, Lewis-Skelly and Odegaard return

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
-Credit: (Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)


How’s Gabriel?

We’re still assessing him. It doesn’t look that bad at all. He was much better the next day. Hopefully he’ll be fine.

Has he had a scan?

He’s done some tests.

Do you know when he’ll back?

No.

Too soon?

Yes.

How’s Timber?

Jurrien was fine. He was very tired. He’s been out for a while and he could not continue the game. Not a new injury there at all.

READ MORE: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provides update on Gabriel injury amid Martin Odegaard boost

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Was that cramp?

He could not continue so we decided to make a very safe call. But he was fine.

How’s Calafiori?

He will be out for a few weeks I would say.

Will you play Saliba?

I will decide that and when I’ve decided you will see the team.

What do you have to consider in making that decision?

The same as with the rest - putting the strongest team out to win the game.

How’s Odegaard?

He’s been on the grass for a few weeks, but there is still a few boxes to tick. How fast we can do that last stage of the rehab is a question we’ll have to answer once we have players around him and he starts competing with the team. He hasn’t done that yet.

Do you think he’ll be back before the break?

Hopefully yes but we’ll have to see how that stage goes.

How do you balance the need to keep winning against the need to rotate?

We will try to find the balance. It is important. We have four very demanding matches now in different competitions. We want to win them all. We have to start tomorrow to build that good momentum again.

What’s your reaction to Ten Hag getting sacked?

Always sad to see one of our colleagues losing his job. I think he did a really good job. He’s won titles there, he changed things. He’s a phenomenal coach. It’s difficult when this happens. Unfortunately that’s the exposure that we have as managers and we’re always there in the line. Especially when you at the game and how they lost, it was incredible. But that’s their decision and I wish him all the best for his next chapter.

Are you unsackable with the support you’ve had?

Nobody is unsackable. If you earn that it’s because you’ve earned something and you’ve earned that back somehow. Here we’re here to win football matches never forget that.

You’ve been here for five years which is a long time…

Yeah it is a long time. Unfortunately it’s very unusual. I’ve continued to do my job the best possible way. Football matches are the most important thing and you have to do that to keep your job.

How important is the league cup?

It’s important because it keeps everybody alive. It maintains the winning habit which is really important to show you care about every competition regardless of where you play. You have to compete for every match. You are in or you are out. The margins are so small and we’re going to face another tough opponent tomorrow.

How much of tomorrow is about giving players who haven’t played much minutes?

It is important. There are players who haven’t played that much. They will have their chance tomorrow that’s for sure. You have to earn the right to play and when you have that right you have to perform and you have to perform in a way to impact the game. That’s what we’re going to demand from everybody whether you’re young, experienced or have been playing regularly for us.

Charity event?

It was a beautiful evening. We have created a partnership between two great foundations and basically what they do is change the hopes and lives of a lot of children. There are a lot of families that have a lot of special needs and we have been collaborating with them for almost 10 years. It is amazing what they do.

It gives you so much perspective about life and we have the power, the ability to connect with a lot of people and to drive a lot of attention, and to raise money - which is very important - because at the end these children, these families need an infrastructure. They need doctors, they need attention and they need it in a consistent way. Doing it once and feeling for good for yourself is not good enough. It is something that we have to build and create for many years to come, and it’s amazing what they have been doing.

At City when Pep blooding Foden, influence you? How hard for you now?

Obviously I was there and we knew the quality of that squad, and how strong those teams were when you were putting them against any opposition. But we have a really good squad as well. It is true at the moment we are missing a lot of players, especially in certain positions, but you have to be really strong. You can make changes, but the team has to have a balance, it has to have a chemistry, it has to have an energy, that has to be really good to win the game - especially when you are playing away from home.

Zinchenko overlooked last two games, still a key player?

Well, those are the decisions that are always difficult to make. You make them with your own intention to get the result and the performance that you want, but Alex has already proven for many years something that Myles has to do, that he has the ability to do it.

How’s Tierney?

I think he’s quite close. He’s looking really good. He’s over the period where he was still struggling. He looked really sharp out there. He hasn’t trained with the team yet but hopefully he can do that in the next week or two.

What have you seen from Tommy Setford since he arrived and could he play tomorrow?

We brought him because we know he’s got the qualities we’re looking for with our goalkeeping area. But unfortunately he’s been injured so he hasn’t really played. Let’s see if we play him or not tomorrow.

How does the instability in defence impact the whole team?

I planned for a lot of things for that games. Four different scenarios. I didn’t plan for the one with Gabi, because normally that doesn’t happen. It happened. We had to adapt to it - very early in the match as well. It is not ideal. It’s what’s happening in the moment that’s making us think and learn a lot. We will be stronger. There’s no other way to look at it.

What have you seen from Myles to throw him in in such big games?

First of all a huge personality. He doesn’t care. He plays with full belief, with a lot of commitment. He’s got the qualities that we want in that position to play outside, to play inside. Defensively he’s a really solid player and he really wants it. When a player is like this I don’t care if he’s from the academy or whatever, he’s earned the right to play those games.

What do you make of Carragher saying you’re like Mourinho?

I don’t talk about myself. I let him give his opinion.

Is Mourinho a reference?

Jose? For sure. I’ve known him since I was 15 years old. He coached me. He was in Barcelona. Yeah, he’s won — I don’t know, 26, 28 titles? So he’s someone to really admire, the way he’s done it, the way he’s changed the culture in clubs, the way he’s done it in different countries.

Do you take the comparisons as a compliment?

I take it as an opinion. I don’t like comparing myself to anybody, because I’m myself so I don’t know… I don’t do things because other people have done them, I do things that I believe are the best things for the players and the team to get us success and play the way we want to play.

What’s your message for the travelling fans for these upcoming away games?

Keep doing what they’re doing. They’ve been phenomenal. We really appreciate the effort and everything that they’ve been investing. Hopefully we’re going to give them a lot of joy.